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Advantages of having a lateralized brain

Year: 2004

Type: article

Abstract: Brain lateralization is common among vertebrates. However, despite its implications for higher-order cognitive functions, almost no empirical evidence has been provided to show that it may confer any advantage to the functioning of the brain. Here, we show in the domestic chick (Gallus gallus domesticus) that cerebral lateralization is associated with an enhanced ability to perform two tasks simultaneously: finding food and being vigilant for predators. This finding suggests that cerebral lateralization enhances brain efficiency in cognitive tasks that demand the simultaneous but different use of both hemispheres.

Source: Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences

DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2004.0200

Authors: Lesley J. Rogers, Paolo Zucca, Giorgio Vallortigara

Institutions: University of New England, University of Trieste

Language: English

Topic: Hemispheric Asymmetry in Neuroscience

Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience

Field: Neuroscience

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funders: University of New England, Australian Research Council

OpenAlex ID: W2094999461

FWCI: 5.074

Cites: 21

Cited by: 609

Related to: 10